[The Mountain]

[Melomar]

Joscelin divided up among the search and rescue ponies and headed for the mountains. Once they arrived, the group split up further to cover more ground. One went to search a cave, the other continued up the mountain. It was hot work. Joscelin was used to cooler climates, including mountains that were cooler than the lowlands. This was a very new experience!

Where will Joscelin go?

To the caves.  

[Melomar]

In the caves and the worsening heat, Joscelin found it difficult to think straight. Their mind kept wandering as random trivia floated through. But they had a choice to make.

They... recalled that they had brought a lantern and very carefully but fairly quickly lit it. Then they continued on.  

[Hattaki]

As you follow the path, ever downward at a gentle slope that makes you feel as if you've been at this for hours, trees begin to crop up everywhere. Pine trees and trees with burning leaves, it's no cooler certainly but you're out of the direct heat once again as another thicket, this time far larger than you would ever have imagined. A stream trickles through it, fed by a small waterfall coming down the mountain on the other side of the trees and tiny silver glimmers alert you to the fish dancing within it's current.

Roll 1d4.
1-2: Wanting to see if there's any chance this river will lead you to another pony trying to escape the heat, you follow where it's originating, up towards the waterfall in the distance.
3-4: There are so many, many trees and little nooks around, it might be worthwhile to take a peek about here, see what or who you can find hiding out!

StarshineAngel01

------------------------------------

Up, up, up you climb, twisting this way and that along the sunparched dirt and stone of the mountain trail. The higher that you climb the hotter it gets, but you come to the second fork in the road rather abruptly. One seems to offer just a bit cooler temperatures as it drops into a canyon, the other is the same heat.

Roll 1d4.
1-2: You take a path to the left, a narrow path that seems to curve around a cut out side of the mountain.
3-4: You take a path to the right, this path is wider and there looks to be a small canyon clearing below.

PeterPan_da144

----------------------------------------------------

Bobbing the flashlight as they walk beside you, the pony does their best to answer any of the questions that you might have, flashing the beam back and forth as they do so in the hopes that they don't get you as lost as they are. Or were? Oh it's just so confusing, all of it. Though you offer your name, they seem rather concerned that they have no offering in return and eventually lapse into a confused silence that lasts until you get to the healers. Maybe they can cool them off and get them talking!

On your way back towards the mountain again you debate where you were just lost and what the best choice might be going forward to find some more ponies! There have to be quite a few left after all!

Roll 1d8
1-4: You head into the nearest cave with your fellow explorers
5-8: You carry on the trail around the mountain.

belloblossom

 

[Hattaki]

Look at you! Smart to bring a lantern into the depths of the caves and you know it! Though the darkness permeates the edges of the large entrance cavern you can just make out a little shivering lump in one of the furthest reaches. They have their hooves held over their eyes and keep whispering something about voices! As you approach, the pony snaps upward and screams, their eyes not on you exactly but more on your wings?



It's clear that they've spent just a bit too much time alone in this cave and based on the severe amount of sweating you're seeing, they could be suffering from heat exhaustion. Time to take them right to the healers!

((This pony has now been FOUND! Participants with the highest posts and written responses will have the chance to enter for any ponies uncovered during the meta! ))

Melomar

 

[belloblossom]

Babbling Brook was happy to see her companion back to the beach to get cooled off. Setting back towards the mountain, lest there still be others to find.

"No matter if they're more of the unusual sort we saw earlier," She told Ripple, who was once again flying beside her. "Or if our fellow rescuers got lost in that cave and now need us to rescue them!" She said with a giggle.

That said, Babble didn't want to have to get rescued herself, so rather than going back into the caves, especially since she'd forgotten to bring the flashlight back with her, she took the trail around the mountain instead.

"We haven't been this way before! I wonder what cool things we'll find!"  

[PeterPan_da144]

((later I fill))  

[Melomar]

Joscelin stopped and gasped quietly upon seeing the huddling shape in the dark. They leaned closer and held up the light to be sure it was another pony. Sure enough, there was a pink, feathered pony that looked somewhat similar to the one that had collapsed on the beach. And just think, if the lantern had not been lit, this pony may not have been found! Strangely, the very thought was both relieving and terrifying.

They both jumped and cried out, to be honest, Joscelin in response to the otherpony's scream, but this reaction to Joscelin's wings was distressing. They were not used to such a reaction at all! But that didn't matter. What mattered was getting them out of sight. So the dark purply pony slowly and deliberately folded their wings tight against their sides.

"Oh... oh my..." they gasped. "I think we gave each other quite a fright. Don't worry! I'm not here to harm you. I'm here to help." Joscelin was not often told that they were sociable, but this was one of those times that they tried their best. "Are... are you all right? Everypony in the area are looking for you and your friends. Do you think you could take a short walk with me down to the beach? There are healers there, you see."  

[xKOVAKtheWOLFx]

boop  

[Hattaki]

It's certainly a good thing that you checked all those little nooks, for tucked away in the shade of one is a pony that seems to be sporting floaties. Quite the wrong place for those and they definetly seem aware of it.

"Where's the water?" Their entire body seems to be made up of sadness, layered with exhaustion and weariness. It's time to get this pony to the beach and the healers!

StarshineAngel01

 

[Hattaki]

Up, up, up you climb, twisting this way and that along the sunparched dirt and stone of the mountain trail. The higher that you climb the hotter it gets, but you come to the second fork in the road rather abruptly. One seems to offer just a bit cooler temperatures as it drops into a canyon, the other is the same heat.

Roll 1d4.
1-2: You take a path to the left, a narrow path that seems to curve around a cut out side of the mountain.
3-4: You take a path to the right, this path is wider and there looks to be a small canyon clearing below.

PeterPan_da144

Same prompt!

belloblossom

---------------------------

Once again the mouth of the cave looms before you and you have a choice. Inside the cave there could be yet more ponies, but it's so very hot in there, maybe there's a chance that the mountain path would have a breeze. It might not be cooler but it offers views a little less scary than a dark cave right?

Roll 1d8
1-4: You head into the nearest cave with your fellow explorers
5-8: You carry on the trail around the mountain.

xKOVAKtheWOLFx

 

[Hattaki]

With your wings tucked back in the pony seems to be just a bit more willing to listen to what you're saying, though their eyes are still very wary. "You found my... my friends?" They clumsily get to their feet and lurch towards you. "Yes, if you know where they are... I'm so worried." So worried and so very worn out from what you can tell. Still, they're up and following all the same!

Melomar

 

[belloblossom]

"Ripple, I'd bet you a bit that any tourist traveler that's helping be apart of the rescue party sure wishes they were born in the summer season!' Babble was chattering to her pet. "I mean, I'm a summer pony, so this sort of heat doesn't bother me, but the cold... yuck, no thanks! I'm much cozier up by this mountain. Say, do you think the creatures we're looking for are from other seasons? That would make sense why they seem to be wilting. You know, like a flower when it's out of water? That's exactly what the pony we saw looked like! A wilting flower, I mean."

Babble continued to, well, babble on. She paid less attention to where her hooves went, automatically turning to the left. Luckily for her, she didn't stumble even as the path she trod upon narrowed.  

[Melomar]

"Yes, well, not me personally. But don't worry about your friends. They're in good hooves. There are healers enough for everybody, should they need the help." They watched the pony get to their feet and said, "If you need a shoulder, you know, feel free to lean on me." They both went along back toward the mouth of the cave. "Watch your eyes, it is a sunny day," Joscelin chuckled. "It's this way down the path. Then by the time we get to the beach you should have seen your friends." They let the other pony set the pace down the mountain. The weather was almost unbearably hot to Joscelin, and must be that much worse to a pony with heat exhaustion. They made a mental note to get some fresh water to carry along on the way back up the mountain.  

[lisais-fire619]

((Doing this off my phone at work so forge me if something goes funny))


Nebit had made her way to the mountain where she thought she might be best to help in the search of other ponies. But once there she came upon a choice to go into the caves or continue up the trail.